Its time for me to don my CGTalk Forum Moderator hat and open the floor to you! I'd like to hear your opinions on how things are going on this site and what new things you'd like to see transpire on this forum. Feel free to share what's ever on your mind.

AzOne

08-25-2006, 04:34 AM

I enjoyed the mini challenges, e.g. boat in storm, we had earlier on (the Photoshop lightning bolt tip was an unexpected gem). The suggestions and problem solving discussions that came out of them (even when it went slightly off tangent at times) were very educational. It also helps us to use the built in functions of EIAS in ways we never considered.

So, while I realise that everyone is busy, how about we make the mini challenges a regular thing. Once a month maybe? Once in two months?

Vizfizz

08-25-2006, 05:19 AM

Certainly.. I think I can arrange more of those.. but I can always use the help.

Martin Kay

08-25-2006, 03:43 PM

I think you are doing fine... after all you must be very busy. The forum is very helpful to me in trying to get more acquainted with a great bit of software. Its a pity more users don't come here.

Martin K

mike33

08-25-2006, 05:34 PM

I think your doing fine also. I will say I'm impressed by the influx of development that's been going on.

I just pop in from time to time to keep up with the EI world. Other things in life
have priority over my EI art... such is the life of this dabbling artist.

Their are other things on my mind, but I don't see a couch or a soap box so I'll stop here.

Thanks for your efforts, you've done good.

~Mike

Vizfizz

08-25-2006, 05:38 PM

Thanks Mike...

And I don't intend to stop here. :) More tools, more videos and more activities are planned. Now if I could only clone myself.

Martin....
Spread the word that we're here. :) But you're right, there are a lot of users out there who are quiet...and that's ok. You don't need to chat to have the benefits of this board. But maybe I'll convince them eventually to come out of their shells.

Martin Kay

08-25-2006, 07:33 PM

Thanks Mike...

And I don't intend to stop here. :) More tools, more videos and more activities are planned. Now if I could only clone myself.

Martin....
Spread the word that we're here. :) But you're right, there are a lot of users out there who are quiet...and that's ok. You don't need to chat to have the benefits of this board. But maybe I'll convince them eventually to come out of their shells.

Hi Brian, I think the perception is that EI is a dying app, or that it needs 'modernising' somehow, whatever that means...(3D World Mag). EI needs to get more exposure- also, its not an expensive program compared to say c4D.
I've just looked at the prices and EI is staggeringly cheap $695 currently, whereas just the core base version of c4d is $899 (that's in the UK) to get c4d XL version is $2500 ish.

Martin K

richardjoly

08-25-2006, 07:47 PM

I believe you (we) are doing quite well. I also believe it's taking a nice big chunk of your time...
I certainly agree with Aziz about mini challenges. Not quite so easy to create one that could catch the users interest and bring usefull discussions though...
I suggested EITG to put a link to this forum in their <Community - Useful Links> page.
I suggested users to post their questions here when they don't get needed answers on the ei_how_to list.
Konkeptoine has a link on it's front page. A nice suggestion to Ramjac, Northern Lights, Paralumino...
If we all pitch in a handfull of sand we might make a beach here...

plsyvjeucxfw

08-25-2006, 08:04 PM

Interest in EIAS is up (even a little up is still up), we now have a new 3rd party supplier of EIAS plugs and training (Paralumino), the various challenges and discussion threads are adding to the knowledge base. Ian's tutorials, including the recent 'HyperGlass' are very well done and worth the nominal download fee.

I'd say this section of CGTalk is doing good.

For the future, I'd like to see the Dante / PowerParticles discussions resume plus more tutorials and learning bits.

I also believe that EITG is listening with interest to all of the activity here, and will hopefully integrate some of our ideas into their priorities when improving the software.

Vizfizz

08-25-2006, 09:24 PM

Duplicate Entry. See Below.

Vizfizz

08-25-2006, 09:30 PM

Hi Brian, I think the perception is that EI is a dying app, or that it needs 'modernising' somehow, whatever that means...(3D World Mag). EI needs to get more exposure- also, its not an expensive program compared to say c4D.
I've just looked at the prices and EI is staggeringly cheap $695 currently, whereas just the core base version of c4d is $899 (that's in the UK) to get c4d XL version is $2500 ish.

Martin K

Every application is a dying application if you look at it realistically. Some day Maya, Max, LW, C4D will all bite the dust and be replaced by the next big thing. As users, we want to see our program of choice succeed, but we must also be willing to allow it to follow its natural course of evolution. Programs take either one of two paths:

1. They eventually become obsolete and finally die and the parent company ceases to exist.

2. They become obsolete and are forced to radically evolve or the parent company creates a new product that is "better".

My goal is to make option 2 come to pass and to strengthen EITG so it and EIAS can evolve and grow.

I don't want to be using the same EIAS we have today 5 years from now. However, EI suffered enough of a setback thanks to Play that it stunted its normal pattern of growth as both a program and as a company. Its not easy to recover from that.. but its also not impossible. Take a look at Apple.

I use a lot of programs. I have to because of the business I'm in. But I continue to remain invested in EI because of the way the program "thinks". There's no doubt that sometimes I wonder what its thinking...lol.. but the generally I like the workflow and its approach to 3D.

As for pricing, yes, EI's base package is quite affordable. The program is ala carte so to speak. Its been structured to rely on 3rd party groups to fill in for the functionality a user needs. This is good and bad. On one hand, its nice to be allowed to only purchase only the tools that one needs (though that does add up), but its bad if the 3rd party company doesn't upgrade their products or goes out of business.

Decentralized programs like EI are becoming more difficult to market because users are getting extremely saavy and tend to base their purchasing decisions on what the base program will offer them. This is where EI could use some moderizing. EI could certainly use a good solid round of consolidation. Either absorbing certain plugins into the base code or go the complete opposite direction and vastly improve and open up the API for 3rd party plugin developers to really get into the guts of the application.

As for marketing.. well, this has always been a weak point for EITG, except for its early days. In the 90's EI did advertise and created interactive CD rom newsletters and a number of cool things. I can't speculate the exact reason why EITG doesn't market itself better now, but I'm sure a lot of it has to do with money...but there comes a point where certain risks have to be taken. The question that really stands out on my mind is:

What exactly do the owners of EITG want?

Perhaps they are happy with the way things are? Maybe they have plans that we're not aware of? I'm not certain...they may yet surprise us all.

My intentions with the CGTalk forum and Paralumino is to send up a flare so to speak. To tell EITG that there is still a market for them and that they can grow and expand to new levels. My only hope is they respond before the flare eventually fades away.

Martin Kay

08-25-2006, 11:31 PM

As for marketing.. well, this has always been a weak point for EITG, except for its early days. In the 90's EI did advertise and created interactive CD rom newsletters and a number of cool things. I can't speculate the exact reason why EITG doesn't market itself better now, but I'm sure a lot of it has to do with money...but there comes a point where certain risks have to be taken. The question that really stands out on my mind is:

What exactly do the owners of EITG want?

Perhaps they are happy with the way things are? Maybe they have plans that we're not aware of? I'm not certain...they may yet surprise us all.

My intentions with the CGTalk forum and Paralumino is to send up a flare so to speak. To tell EITG that there is still a market for them and that they can grow and expand to new levels. My only hope is they respond before the flare eventually fades away.

All business needs to expand to survive. EI is or has been an odd company.
Its not uncommon for business's to resist advertising because of the cost. Certainly a lot of advertising you see is a waste of money.

Martin K

gdogfunk

08-27-2006, 01:53 AM

Ok, then I vote for a mini-challenge for EI users to make some arguements about how EI should/could be marketed. Perhaps some interesting ideas will come forth and make some waves! I know I struggle with marketing for my own company, but it cannot hurt to see what people are thinking and to speculate how non-users might respond to certain marketing initiatives. Yes, prints ads are costly, but there are lots of ways EI could be pushing their name around...

My 2 cents.

Ryan

Martin Kay

08-27-2006, 08:23 AM

Ok, then I vote for a mini-challenge for EI users to make some arguements about how EI should/could be marketed. Perhaps some interesting ideas will come forth and make some waves! I know I struggle with marketing for my own company, but it cannot hurt to see what people are thinking and to speculate how non-users might respond to certain marketing initiatives. Yes, prints ads are costly, but there are lots of ways EI could be pushing their name around...

My 2 cents.

Ryan

Well, some banner ads on the net wouldn't hurt.

Martin K

halfworld

08-27-2006, 10:35 AM

For me it's the o so simple things like sending off press releases to MacNN, MacWorld et al. It is free publicity yet it's never done...

Am I right in thinking that there is a dongle-less Mac demo lying around somewhere?
If so, the link needs passing on to every magazine with a CD. EI is nothing to be ashamed of!

Ian

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